Sweet Corn and Bacon Salad

We love sweet corn. But there is only so much corn on the cob you can eat without getting bored, and it’s only available during the summer! This Sweet Corn and Bacon Salad recipe is an easy way to enjoy sweet corn, any time of the year!

Sweet Corn and Bacon Salad

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Because a salad just isn’t a salad without bacon… and because we have a lot of corn!

If you follow me on Instagram, you might remember that a while back I posted a picture of my Candy Corn Salad. Candy corn, M&Ms, and peanuts. OK, I know, there is really nothing “salad” about that one. But this Sweet Corn and Bacon Salad? It’s a legitimate salad. Well, at least a vegetable is the main ingredient. That meets the “salad” definition, doesn’t it?

I found the original recipe for this salad in “Fresh From the Farmstand” by Gooseberry Patch. If you love summer cooking (or you have a lot of zucchini!), you’ll want to check out this cookbook.

This recipe is awesome with fresh sweet corn, right out of the garden or from the farmer’s market. (Get tips on how to cut corn off the cob here.) But it also is great with frozen corn (whether you froze it yourself with Leah’s recipe or you bought it frozen at the grocery store) or canned corn. If you’re using canned corn, you’ll want to drain it before you add the corn to the skillet. Otherwise, just toss the corn in!

The original recipe asked you to save all the bacon grease and cook the corn in that. By all means, go for it if that’s what makes your sweet corn taste better! My bacon left quite a bit of grease in the pan, and I wanted to be able to taste the corn, not just the bacon grease. So I only kept enough of the bacon grease to coat the bottom of the pan. Just my recommendation. Far be it for me to argue if you want to use more bacon grease! In fact, I’d encourage it!

(By the way… bacon grease makes any salad just a little bit better!)

It isn’t exactly quick to make, but it doesn’t need very much attention. And it’s easy. So you can be cooking your main dish outside on the grill while this is simmering away on the stove.

Enjoy!

Our Must-Have Tools for Sweet Corn

We cook a lot of sweet corn here over the summer, and we freeze even more! Here are the tools I use with our sweet corn all summer long.

• RSVP Deluxe Corn Cutter
• Electric Knife
• Quart-size Ziploc freezer bags
• Large stock pot
• Mess-Free Butter Spreader
• Interlocking Corn on the Cob Holders

3 Ways to Take the Fear Out of This Recipe

• An Easy Way to Cut Corn Off the Cob
• Keep Cold Foods Cold at Your Summer Potluck
• Growing Sweet Corn

3 More Recipes to Try

• Broccoli Salad with Bacon
• Tomato Caprese Salad
• Strawberry Walnut Salad

Printable Recipe Card for Sweet Corn & Bacon Salad

Sweet Corn and Bacon Salad

Marybeth Feutz

This Sweet Corn and Bacon Salad recipe will be a big hit - and it's a fun way to enjoy the summery taste of sweet corn all year long!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Side

Servings 4 -6 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 6 slices bacon diced
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 16- ounce package frozen corn; OR 2 cans of corn drained; OR 4 cups (about 8 ears) of freshly cut kernels
• salt and pepper to taste
• dried thyme leaves to taste
• 4-5 green onions sliced

Instructions

 

• In a large skillet, saute bacon and onion over medium-low heat until bacon starts to get crisp (about 10 minutes). Remove bacon and onion and set aside. Discard most of the bacon drippings; leave about 1 Tablespoon (enough to coat the bottom of the pan).
• Add corn and seasonings to drippings in skillet. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is heated through and any moisture is cooked out.
• Return bacon and onion to the skillet, add green onions. Mix well.
• Garnish with extra green onions.
• Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve cold.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!